A Moore County manufacturing plant has received an $8 million order from the U.S. Army to manufacture “low velocity” and “high velocity” cargo parachutes, requiring them to seek additional employees.

BRS Defense in Pinebluff is taking applications to fill about 130 positions. The contract work is being split between the Pinebluff location and the corporate headquarters in South St. Paul, Minn, but most of the positions may be in Moore County.

Moore County Employment Security Commission (ESC) Manager Gene Norton said the company is looking primarily for sewers, but also for people to fold and pack the parachutes.

Norton said the jobs are available now and job seekers must go through the ESC to apply.

“I don’t know how quickly they’ll be filling the positions that are a part of this new contract, because they’ve been working on another contract they’ve had for quite some time, but apparently they’re wanting applications right now,” Norton said.

Norton said anyone in Richmond County interested in the jobs can apply through the Rockingham ESC office, located on Franklin Street in Rockingham.

“All they’ll have to do is go through the computer to get instructions on how to apply and we’ll make sure they have everything in place down there so they don’t have to drive all the way up here to apply for these jobs,” Norton said.

Norman Girdwood, general manager for BRS Defense said since ramping up production with its last contract in October, the company has received more than 900 applications.

“And we’re still struggling to find people with a good work ethic and the right set of sewing skill sets that we need,” Girdwood said.

Girdwood said there are no real specific qualifications for these positions and that most of it is learned on the job.

“But people with sewing skills are a plus,” he said.

Girdwood said everyone at BRS Defense starts off at minimum wage for the first 90 days, which is $7.25 an hour.

Girdwood said there’s no physical timeline for the hiring of these positions.

BRS Defense is located on Highway U.S. 1 just south of Pinebluff. Coming from Rockingham, the building is located on your right, about three miles north of the Richmond County line.

BRS Defense is a part of BRS Aerospace, Inc., a manufacturer of whole-aircraft emergency parachute systems, military cargo and personnel parachutes, and reflective safety products.

Since 1981, BRS Aerospace has delivered more than 30,000 parachute systems to aircraft owners worldwide. According to BRS Aerospace, the company’s parachute recovery systems have been credited with saving the lives of 243 pilots and passengers.

BRS Defense has been in Pinebluff since late 2007.

To find out about job vacancies, contact the Employment Security Commission office in Aberdeen at (910)944-7697 or Rockingham at (910) 997-9180.

Staff writer Eren Tataragasi can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or at etataragasi@yourdailyjournal.com.